Hippodrome, Croydon

Performers: Cecile Barclay, Rupert Lister

The Stage, 10 and 17 June 1915, listed Searchlights as On Tour from 14 June at the Hippo., Croydon.

‘A problem drama, “The Unmarried Mother,” will be presented next week at the Hippodrome by Mr. Oswald Cray. It is from the pen of C. Vernon Proctor, and is the greatest thing of the kind ever written. It has attractions peculiarly its own, and should draw large houses. It will be produced twice nightly’ (Surrey Mirror, 11 February 1916; also the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, 12 February 1916). Noted in The Stage, 17 February 1916.

"This week we are back once more into all the excitement of melodrama. “The Story of the Angelus the story of the war. The horrors of "battle, terrors of Zeps. treachery of spies, heroism of maidens, all as warp and weft make the great picture whence good emerges out of all. and joy bells close the drama. The singing of Sullivan's “Story of the Angelos'' is very effectively given Mr. Fred Clifford, who also sustains the role of “Father Philippe." Mr, Eric Morden is very forcible and successful as "Emile Vinelle.” Mr. Henry Carlisle an excellent villain. Just now of German villain an audience expects great things and it gets it, for “Heinrich Kramer" receives what is highest compliment bombardment of continuous hisses. “Simeon Peters." the funny man of the story, who combines simplicity with duplicity. most amusing, and a spy adds interest to the tale. Mr. G. Lester is a fine old “Pere Van Hayden.” Miss Gwendoline Verschorle and Miss Lilian Peake are good in their parts of “Cecille Vinelle" and "Annette Peronne.” The piece is well played with great vigour, startlingly sensational, and delights the audience" (Surrey Mirror, 2 June 1916)

The Era, 16 and 23 May 1917, listed The Man Who Stayed at Home (Red Company) as On The Road from 21 May at the Hippo., Croydon. Also The Stage, 17 and 24 May 1917. ‘“The Man Who Stayed at Home. This famous spy play is to be produced at the Croydon Hippodrome next week. It gives one the real, complete, wholesome thrill one got as a boy over a detective yarn. Before 1914 the plain matter-of-fact person smiled with superior scepticism at stories of espionage, with their paraphernalia of weird mechanism and their human touches revealed in the wiles of adventuresses entrapping by their physical charms young officers possessing State documents. But now we know the novelist’s inventions to be no more weird than those of Hun engineers and chemists. Amid all its ingenuities and dramatic surprises the play still contrives throughout to be a comedy, and in that respect is quite entertaining. The cast includes Clifford Marle, J. Edward Pearce, Arthur Grenville, C. Laverack-Brown, Malcolm Cumming, E. J. B. King, Hilda Francks, Valerie Richards, Christine Cooper, Frances Waring, Ethel Coleridge, Edith Cuthbert’ (Surrey Mirror, 18 May 1917).

Advertised in the Era, 26 September 1917: the cast included Henry Bedford, Ronald Adair, F. Roy Jackson, Nina Oldfield and Julie Kennard. Previewed in the Norwood News, 28 September 1917, with a line drawing of a scene from the play. Advertised in The Stage, 4 October 1917: ‘Played with the Greatest Success at Borough Theatre Stratford; King’s, Hammersmith; Shakespeare, Liverpool; Royal, Halifax’.

‘Taylor Platt Co. in “The Man Who Stayed at Home”‘ was advertised in The Era, 30 January 1918, at the Croydon Hippodrome for the week commencing Monday 4 February. Also listed in The Stage, 31 January 1918. Advertised and previewed in the Norwood News, 1 February 1918.

‘Capt. E. B. London, the manager of the Croydon Hippodrome, is to be congratulated upon the quality of the fare he has been serving to us lately. Not only have the patrons of the Hippodrome had considerable variety in the style and character of the entertainments submitted to them, but rarely have the most captious been able to find fault with the quality of the interpretation ... During the current week, Arthur Rosebery’s popular naval drama, “For Sweethearts and Wives,” fills the bill, and is played by the author’s full London company. There are some nine scenes, mainly with a strong naval flavour. Two shows a night, as usual, at 6.30 and 8.50’. Norwood News, 15 February 1918.

Performed under the title 'The Princess and the Soldier'